Vatican’s Secretary to meet with Refugees in a three-days visit to Slovenia

According to the Vatican radio, Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin met with Slovenian Prime Minister, Miro Cerar and spoke at a press conference on Tuesday, both agreeing that refugee crisis must be tackled humanely and with solidarity. After the press conference, Cardinal Pietro Parolin presided over Mass to commemorate the end of the Year of Consecrated Life at the Cathedral church of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Speaking to the religious of the Slovenian Church, the Cardinal said,

“It is this gesture, interior and exterior, which characterizes the today’s celebration: present oneself and to be presented. This was Mary and Joseph’s gesture which, as we heard in the Gospel, ‘When the days were completed for their purification, according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord.’ This is the gesture which each one of us, especially consecrated men and women, is called to renew, with pure and sincere hearts and with all our dedication.” He futher urged them to encourage in fidelity.”

He encouraged the Christian faithful to establish new forms of interpersonal relations and to find in the Eucharist the nourishment they need to carryon their mission.

Cardinal Parolin also met with refugees at Dobova on Wednesday during his three-day visit to Slovenia.

Prime Minister Cerar expressed his happiness over the recent announcement that the Vatican is opening a permanent Apostolic Nunciature in Slovenia.

Cardinal Parolin said that this was an indication that both countries wishes to consolidate their relations.